Miller & Barnes of Ratcliffe constructed steam locomotives for the North Midland Railway (NMR) which may have looked similar to this Stephenson Patent 2-2-2 locomotive and tender shown above.

The NMR, which existed between 1839 and 1844 (it was absorbed by the Midland), operated between Derby and Leeds but they envisioned an alternate route from Duffield to Rowsley which would avoid Ambergate. So in 1862 the Midland began surveys followed by Parliamentary approval a year later. Aside from one particular cutting the route did not offer any real obstacles. The line was complete and functioning all the way to Wirksworth by 1867. The Midland's original plan had called for construction from Wirksworth north to Cromford and then Matlock. However, the connection was never built leaving the route as a branchline to nowhere with little prospects of financial success.

Even so, products such as limestone and farm produce such as milk shipped from Wirksworth south kept the line in business. At it's peak there were 6 passenger trains per day connecting Derby and Wirksworth.

By 1939 the milk traffic was gone, replaced by trucks travelling along country roads. The Second World War basically stopped the passenger trains, a bus on an hourly schedule didn't help the railway either. Passenger trains were suspended in 1947 and completely ceased by 1949. That damn bus is still running though!

In 1950 something new was tested, a Derby Lightweight, basically a diesel motorized standard coach with windows cut in each end for the driver.

During all of the above the limestone and aggregate traffic had continued along the railway, until 1991, when the quarry was sold to a company who would use trucks thereby negating the need of a rail connection. The railway's connection at Duffield was removed and the connection fenced off.

1992 saw new changes as WyvernRail Limited, a community-owned company, planned to restore and operate the Duffield to Wirksworth line. By 2002 Wirksworth station was open with a 1/2 mile of line south to Gorsey Bank. WyvernRail had agreed to an initial 15 year lease/purchase deal with Network Rail until 2005, when they purchased almost the entire railway to Duffield.

A DMU passenger service was running in 2004 which was followed by construction of a new line to Ravenstor in 2005.

2008 realized an additional 3 miles completed southward to reach Idridgehay sation where a grand opening ceremony was held. 3 years later track had reached Duffield in 2011 and the platform was open for business.

Today trackwork is complete and up to passenger carrying standards between Wirksworth and Duffield. Passengers may walk a short distance to board Network Rail trains at Duffield for all other destinations reached by Network Rail.